After experiencing very vivid hallucinations as such, I figured I should cut down on my alcohol intake for a while.
But that also revealed the severe lack of other supplies I had.
A shopping trip to Serwood was due.
The village was just a 400 meter hike down the hill through the forest.
But it was much harder to travel in constant rain. Well, it wasn't going to get any better if not worse.
The cabin was on a higher ground than Serwood.
Maybe it was the post fever clarity, but I felt excited to go shopping. Been a while since I felt like that.
I found an ancient umbrella in the attic and that sorted out some of my worries.
I grabbed my almost dead phone with me to pay for stuff.
I opened my account details and as always, my tenants had sent me the rent.
I owned a small apartment building that I rented out monthly.
I wouldn't say I was rich but I never really suffered much financially because of all the real estate property my father left me with.
I hiked down the hilly forest. It was quite slippery from the constant rain but manageable.
I kept looking for the bear. Maybe it was hiding from the rain.
Reaching the dirt road that lead to the village, I quickly scanned around.
There were very little people around there.
Villages led a slow life around the area. The weather also played a valid role in the scarcity of people.
I asked the only person, a little girl in a neon pink raincoat, I could find, about the market area.
"I would take you there if you buy me a chocolate bar," she demanded.
"Sure," I agreed.
Hand in hand with her as she ran to keep pace with my walking, we came to a supermarket of sorts.
She pointed to the biggest chocolate bar on the shelves.
"Payment, please!"
The little girl chirped as she tiddled away to the counter with the 'payment'.
"Very well," I said.
I looked at her hoping away with the biggest smile through the windows as I fiddled with the cup ramen.
I filled my basket with as many as I could carry and picked up some soda bottles.
And firewood. I wasn't planning to drag a propane gas tank anytime soon up the hill to the cabin.
Nothing else much interested me.
"That's a lot of cup noodles for a lady."
A deep and light voice said.
It startled me as I thought I was alone in the store.
I turned around quickly and there was a man. My eye level met his chest and I looked up to see his face.
He was ghostly pale with black tinted glasses on. His nose was brilliantly red and he sniffled like he had had a bad cold.
He was wearing a grey sweatshirt with black pants.
I'm by no means short.
I'm a whooping 5feet 6inches tall.
But this dude looked at least a 6feet 5inches.
He walked awfully soft for his height though. I couldn't hear a single step of him getting so close up behind me.
"I like ramen," I said.
"You should eat better. You look like you could use some vegetables and meat," he sounded very obnoxious saying that.
"I'd rather not be a giant," I said.
He let out a weird chuckle. Seems he figured I was calling him out.
"Yeah, you're perfect at that height," he said.
"Well, have a nice day," I said.
It was unwanted attention. I didn't go to this remote place looking for romance. Leading that dude on would only do more harm than good.
As I walked away, that guy just stood there. He stared at the cup noodles on the counter and threw one in his bucket.
So much for eating healthy.
I didn't see him again. Maybe he left feeling embarrassed after being blown away.
I stayed for a while looking around at things. I didn't buy anything else though.
I paid for my stuff and headed back out.
The little girl was there waiting around. I thought she had left.
"You're still here," I asked.
"A tall guy said to give you this," she raised and gave me a cup noodles pack.
It was opened. But there was a cooked meat stew inside. The pack was clearly the same as the ones I had with me.
I scoffed.
I bought the little girl another chocolate bar and left.
As I reached the dirt road, leading back into the forest, I tossed out the cup with the meat stew.
"Fucking meat and vegetables," I cussed.
And then I trudged back to the cabin.
"Where is that fucking bear when I need him?"